I'm obsessed with these. My favorite part: that they're clear because the size of a virus is SMALLER THAN THE WAVELENGTH OF LIGHT.
Therefore it has no color, by definition it can't. How cool is that? Gorgeous models and I wish I could have one, it's all I'd talk about for a good while.posted by asavage at 4:17 PM on April 9, 2013 [2 favorites]

Very cool. I have a stuffed Malaria Plasmodium on my desk right now. True story. It's not nearly as beautiful as these, but it's far less likely to break when I throw it at my coworkers.posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:32 PM on April 9, 2013

My favorite part: that they're clear because the size of a virus is SMALLER THAN THE WAVELENGTH OF LIGHT.
Therefore it has no color, by definition it can't.

The artworks were also created to consider how the use of artificially added colour in medical imaging effects how the imagery is read and interpreted by the public. See these examples of scientific HIV imagery. How does the choice of different colours affect their reception? In response to these questions, Jerram has created a series of transparent, three dimensional sculptures of HIV. Ironically in 2007 photographer David Sayer won an award from the Institute of Medical Imaging for the artificially coloured image (above) he took of Jerrams HIV sculpture.posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:35 PM on April 9, 2013

These are super cool. And there is a little bit of decorative kitsch about them too which makes them hilarious.

I can imagine them in a Swarovski crystal shop at an international airport, with little Mickey and Minnie figurines lined up on either side, looking up in awe at the giant SARS.

It would be like that Star Trek: Voyager episode where the ship was invaded by dishwasher-sized macroviruses.posted by dontjumplarry at 4:37 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

Malaria and E. coli are bacteria, right? And there is a phage in there someplace...posted by KokuRyu at 4:38 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

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